Catalina Island Resource for the Cruise Passenger
Written: May 27 '04
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Pros: Great place to come for a day or a week.
Cons: Prices in shops and restaurants comparable to other tourist destinations in California.
The Bottom Line: You're bound to have a great day in Catalina any time of the year, but the best weather to be had is in the summer and early fall.
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| Suzi's Full Review: Catalina Island |
Both Carnival's Ecstasy (in fall 2004, Carnival's Paradise will replace the Ecstasy) and Royal Caribbean's newly refurbished Monarch of the Seas regularly call on Santa Catalina Island as part of their four night itinerary departing from the Los Angeles area. However, other ships doing seasonal California coastal voyages will call on Catalina as well. Each ship tenders in its passengers for a full day on the island. There are many things to do while visiting Catalina for the day. You will have the option of booking a shore excursion or visiting the island on your own. You can spend the day shopping, kayaking, hiking or even playing golf. I will attempt to outline some of the more popular tours and other activities that can occupy your time while visiting Catalina.
Your ship will drop anchor about a quarter of a mile off shore. You will be calling on Catalina mid-week, and most days, only one ship will be in port at a time. Passengers booked on shore excursions will be tendered over to the island first, but afterwards, the tenders run all day, about 10 minutes apart, making it easy to come and go. If this is your first visit to Catalina, you should make a point to attend the port lecture on the ship. Although much of it is a sales pitch from the "recommended" shops on the island, you will get information about shore excursions as well as other things to do while there. A list of shore excursions and prices will follow this review.
The tenders are often provided by a vendor on the island, however, it's not unusual for cruise lines to use their own. Either way, it will take about 10 minutes to shuttle you to the island. You will be dropped off at the Catalina Island boat pier, about two blocks south of the Green Pier (the main hub of the island). This is also where the ferry boats from Los Angeles pull in. There are bathroom facilities nearby, and the area is clearly marked where you board the ship's tender for your return back to the ship.
Once you disembark the tender, there will be tour personnel to direct you to the right tour bus, if you booked a shore excursion of the island. To go shopping, you simply turn right and walk towards the green pier. The Green Pier has restrooms, a dive shop, a couple of fast food places where you can buy clam chowder and fish and chips and a tour kiosk where you can purchase island tours similar to the ones offered by the shore excursion desk on your ship. As you continue down the main drag, you'll see numerous shops selling tee shirts, jewelry, artwork and souvenirs as well as restaurants and more tour operators. There is a place where you can rent electric golf carts and a small shopping area as well as a bank with an ATM. The short walk along the waterfront to Casino Point will take you about 15 minutes. Along the way are more restrooms.
People who purchase an island tour usually save a few bucks over shore excursions - about 15%; not a huge savings, but if you are a family of four, for example, it does add up. Suffice it to say, all tour operators charge the same and all seem to offer the same tours. For all I know, they are owned and operated by the same people. If you do an online search, you can probably get pricing information and compare it to what your ship has to offer.
Royal Caribbean has a system set up where you can book and pay for your shore excursion in advance of your voyage, as does Celebrity and Princess. As of May 2004, Carnival does not have this in place, however, expect them to as well in the not too distant future. Regardless of cruise line, you can also book all shore excursions on the ship.
Unlike some destinations, it's not necessary to take a tour in order to get the most out of your day in Catalina. If you enjoy visiting touristy shops, walking along the waterfront, stopping for some lunch at a restaurant with a view, you'll be be in heaven. There is something for everyone, including hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving and golf.
Shopping
The shopping on the island is concentrated near the Green Pier and consists mainly of specialty shops. Several pricey one of a kind stores dot the water front, including a few art galleries, upscale clothing and jewelry stores and souvenir shops. There's a great ice cream shop called Big Olaf's that sells monster sized ice cream cones and salt water taffy. If you like nautical art, there are several shops specializing in this type of merchandise.
Going inland, you'll see many B&B's and small Inns, Von's Grocery store and a Post Office. Besides what you see along the waterfront, there isn't much else of interest around.
Descanso Beach
Catalina is 26 miles off the coast of L.A. The weather can include overcast skies most mornings, burning off by mid afternoon. In winter, you can expect temperatures in the upper 50's to high 60's. Air temps the rest of the year can climb into the mid 70's. You can expect water temperatures to be in the mid 50's in the winter; up to 70 degrees in the summer. Catalina doesn't have many beaches; there are a few tiny patches of sand here and there that crowd over in the summer. Descanso Beach Club, on the other side of Casino Point, probably has the largest stretch of beach on the island. There is a fee to come here in the summer, but you can snorkel off the beach here anytime for free.
There are bathrooms, a snorkel and kayak rental kiosk, a beach front restaurant, a picknick area and even a place to play volleyball. The beach here is gravely and without water shoes, you'll probably not spend much time in the water. With that said, the snorkeling here is excellent. Even in the summer, water temps in the 70's can be quite cold, so I would recommend you plan on wearing a wet suit. You can rent one at the snorkeling kiosk.
There is another small beach about five minutes from the tender pier, just shy of the Green Pier, that might be worth checking out if you get there early enough in the summer. It gets very crowded here, so you'll want to stake your claim first thing in the morning. You can rent beach umbrellas, pick up something to eat and drink near by.
All in all, the beaches in Catalina are no where near as nice as what you will see in the rest of Southern California. None the less, thousands of people come to Catalina in the summer and in the fall. If spending the day on the beach is your thing, all I can say is get there early!!
Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
All ships offer shore excursions to take groups snorkeling at Lover's Cove. The price includes wetsuits and snorkel, mask and fins. The water here tends to be in the mid-60's to around 70 degrees in the summer. The visibility is generally good. If you book a tour off of the ship, you will be asked to take the tender to the island andt walk over to Lover's Cove. Your guide will be there as you exit the tender. Once at the beach, he/she will give you instructions (and lessons for those that need them) on what to look for and allow you to snorkel for about an hour and a half. You will see bright orange Garibaldi (California's protected state fish) and many other fish among kelp and rocks near the shore. Since this is an easy shore entry, even beginners will feel comfortable. If you have your own snorkel, mask and fins, you can rent a wetsuit at Lover's Cove for around $10 and snorkel the same location on your own. I think this tour is good if you feel you need instruction or supervision. Otherwise, don't waste your money. Even if you bring no equipment along, for $20 you can rent all you need to snorkel.
Another alternative to Lover's Cove is Descanso Beach. Descanso Beach is located about a fifteen/twenty minute walk along the waterfront, just past the Casino. Descanso Beach Club will charge you a fee to use their beach and facilities, but NOT to snorkel. The best snorkeling can be had towards the left end of the beach and around the bend (facing the ocean). There is a kelp forest underneith you at a depth of 15-20 feet. You'll see lots of life here, and a lot fewer people than at Lover's Cove. But there is NO snorkeling excursion that comes here. You will be on your own. It's best to go early in the day, while the sea is calm. Once the winds kick up in the afternoon, you're looking at choppy seas.
All ships that call on Catalina, to the best of my knowledge, offer a scuba diving excursion from shore with a guide. The one tank dive takes place at the underwater marine park at Casino Point. Casino Point, about a 15 minute walk from the tender pier, is famous for it's shore diving. There is a dive kiosk where you can rent tanks during the summer. Shore entries here are pretty easy, but go early, as later in the day, the waves are deadly. The dive itself is great, especially if you get lucky and have good visibility. You'll see lots of fish among kelp and rocks. A map of the dive site is available, and it's hard to get lost, so in my opinion, a guide is not necessary. Remember, even in 70 degree water you will need a wet suit with a hood. The best visibility is in late summer and early fall, but I've been here in January and had 80 feet visibility!
You will want to get an early start if you dive, as the waves pick up by noon. If you would rather do a boat dive, you might want to contact Catalina Divers via the internet and make arrangements with them to go to one of the many excellent dive sites around Catalina. The diving is excellent and worth the $$$ for two tanks. The problem is most dive boats head out before the ship can tender in its passengers. But check, because if they get enough people who want to dive later, they will go out later.
Land Tours
There are several excellent tours available from the shore excursion desk. The island tours will take you around the island in a comfortable bus or van, show you some wildlife and panaramic views and give you a historical perspective of the island.
You can take a tour to the Wrigley Monument and botanical gardens that will give a couple of hours to hike around and enjoy the area. You will be taken by bus or van and given a short tour of Avalon on your way up the hillside.
The Casino Tour also includes a brief tour of Avalon and the famous Casino building, which also houses a small museum. This tour is only about 90 minutes long.
Each of these tours can be booked independent of the ship, however, like I said earlier, you really don't save a lot by doing so. Golf is also available, but I don't know much else about it.
Submarine and Glass Bottom Boats
One of the more popular, and least expensive tours is the Glass Bottom Boat tour, that takes you to Lover's Cove (the same place where all snorkeling excursions go). From your dry vantage point, you can observe the sea creatures you would otherwise need to scuba or snorkel to see. Although this tour is relatively short (about 45 minutes)it's also inexpensive. The submarine is a little more expensive, but the view is better. Both these tours are great for people with mobility problems or with young children.
Kayaking
Sea kayaking has become very popular. They are available to rent near the tender pier, but the ships also offer a kayak tour. We did this once, and had such as great time, we now do it every time we come to Catalina.
Hiking Around
It is possible to hike around the island. The hike up the hill to the Wrigley Monument and Botanical Gardens is easy to do, as long as you are okay hiking up hill for several miles. I recommend you take some water and snacks along in a backpack. Layer your clothing, as it gets cool in the afternoon, and keep an eye on your watch.
Restaurants
There are many fine eating establishments here, to numerous to name. The prices are high, but worth checking out for lunch or a snack. The fish and chips on the pier are excellent. There are several seafood restaurants on the water front and a great Mexican restaurant across from the pier that has the best Margaritas in Catalina.
Final Thoughts
Whether you decide to book a tour or walk around, you will not be disappointed with Catalina. Most people schedule a tour in the morning, have lunch on the island and do a little shopping before heading back to the ship. The tenders run all day, so if you opted to snorkel in the morning, you can easily get back to your ship to change and come back. We now mainly come to Catalina to dive and relax for a long weekend (I live in Northern California). But a cruise is great way to visit. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions.
Catalina Island, Shore Excursions Price/Person (adult prices first, child rates second):
Glass-Bottom Boat Tour
Approximate Duration: 30 Minutes 10.50 5.25
Lover's Cove Snorkel Tour
Approximate Duration: 2 Hours 15 Minutes 36.00 36.00
Avalon Scenic Tour
Approximate Duration: 50 Minutes 13.50 6.75
Avalon Scenic & Botanical Garden
Approximate Duration: 1 Hour 45 Minutes 29.00 14.50
Skyline Drive Tour
Approximate Duration: 2 Hours 29.00 14.50
Avalon Casino Tour
Approximate Duration: 55 Minutes 13.50 6.75
Seal Rocks Cruise
Approximate Duration: 50 Minutes 13.50 6.75
Catalina Inland Motor Tour
Approximate Duration: 3 Hours 45 Minutes 49.50 24.75
Ocean Eco-Rafting
Approximate Duration: 2 Hours 59.00 49.00
The Undersea Tour
Approximate Duration: 45 Minutes 33.25 16.75
Catalina Kayak Expedition
Approximate Duration: 2 Hours 30 Minutes 41.00 36.00
Cape Canyon Tour
Approximate Duration: 4 Hours 79.00 79.00
Avalon Scuba Adventure (Shore dive with Guide)
Approximate Duration: 2 Hours 100.00 100.00
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Suzi
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Location: California
Reviews written: 190
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About Me:
Suzi is an aspiring travel writer who enjoys scuba diving and volleyball.
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